Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 May 2017
212. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of civil servants in his Department allocated to work exclusively on market access; the number of persons that work on market access exclusively for the sectors of beef, dairy, lamb, pig meat and poultry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22559/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIrish food and drink exports increased by 2% in 2016 to reach €11.15 billion and Ireland exports food and drink to around 180 countries all over the world. One of the Department’s priorities now, particularly in the context of Brexit, is to further increase the market opportunity for Irish food and drink internationally, especially for the meat and dairy sectors. Indeed this principle of market development is already a key component of Food Wise 2025. We have achieved significant successes in recent years in conjunction with the various stakeholders to increase the number of markets to which we enjoy access.
In terms of beef market access, 2016 saw some considerable successes including the extension of our beef market access to the USA to include Beef Intended for Grinding (BIFG) as well as the opening of the Canadian, New Zealand and Israeli beef markets. Significant steps were also taken in terms of beef market access to China, South Korea and Vietnam in conjunction with the Trade Mission there. 2017 has already seen the re-opening of the Egyptian market to Irish beef and beef exports have now commenced. It has also seen the extension of our beef market access to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to include a range of minced and processed beef products, as part of my Trade Mission there.
My Department is also working on expanding market access for sheepmeat, pigmeat, poultry and cooked meats across a range of markets and is also working to simplify certification procedures in a number of markets to which we already have access.
The meat market access work involves staff across the department, including veterinary services, laboratory staff, inspectorate staff, International Trade Division and a wide range of other divisions, in completing market access questionnaires, facilitating incoming inspection visits, participating in diplomatic meetings, agreeing export health certificates etc. All of this inter-connected work facilitates the accessing of new markets, and on the meat side is co-ordinated by a dedicated market access unit comprising five people. The unit also works very closely with external stakeholders such as Bord Bia, the industry, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and its Embassies abroad. I have committed to providing additional resources to for market access unit and am at present making the necessary arrangements.
